Alvin Greene has been cleared in an investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

(CNN) - South Carolina's top law enforcement agency announced Friday that it will not file charges against Democratic Senate nominee Alvin Greene.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) had been investigating how Greene, a political newcomer who could not afford a lawyer when facing criminal charges last year, came up with the $10,440 needed to get his name on the Democratic Senate primary ballot.

"After a thorough investigation, SLED has concluded that there is no evidence of wrongdoing, criminal intent or deception to the court when Greene applied for a public defender last year," the agency said in a statement Friday.

"During the course of the investigation, SLED determined that monies spent for Greene's filing fee were the candidate's personal funds and therefore, no laws were violated in association with Greene's payment to the South Carolina Democratic Party," SLED said.

Greene has long maintained that he tapped into his personal savings to pay the filing fee.

Greene's June 4 Democratic primary victory stunned politicians in the state because they had never heard of him and saw no proof he had mounted any type of campaign. His primary opponent, Vic Rawl, tried to have the election overturned, saying there were voting machine irregularities, but the state party denied the request.

CNN reported earlier Friday that Greene retained a private criminal defense attorney against charges he showed pornographic images to a college student last November.

The existence of those criminal charges surfaced after the primary win. State Democratic leaders called for him to step aside, at the time afraid he would not mount a serious campaign against incumbent Republican Sen. Jim DeMint.

Neither he nor the attorney, Eleazer Carter, will disclose whether Carter is being paid. Carter told CNN he is an acquaintance of Greene's father and took on the case three weeks ago.

Greene has not had to enter a plea, and no trial date has been set. He has remained tight-lipped regarding the charges.

"I'm innocent until proven guilty. And like I said, I'm concentrating on my campaign issues, jobs, education and justice," he told CNN in an interview in his Manning, South Carolina home last month. He refused to answer any more questions regarding the allegations.

Though the law enforcement agency said it determined that Greene used his own money to pay the party's filing fee, the South Carolina attorney general's office told CNN that it never received a request from SLED to subpoena Greene's bank records.
– CNN's Kevin Bohn contributed to this report

soundoff(20 Responses)

So THIS is how you bury a particularly egregious case of election fraud. Why isn't this a front-page story?

I mean, c'mon. Is ANYONE stupid enough to think that this guy won the nomination legitimately?????

July 9, 2010 09:25 pm at 9:25 pm |

Break Given

America, you are looking at our next President. Equally as qualified as our current.

July 9, 2010 09:26 pm at 9:26 pm |

MsDp

"Though the law enforcement agency said it determined that Greene used his own money to pay the party's filing fee, the South Carolina attorney general's office told CNN that it never received a request from SLED to subpoena Greene's bank records". So can we conclude that this is another coverup for the GOP/Teabaggers? I think so! Now, I understand why the GOP always accused ACORN of fraud – it takes one to know one, LOL!

July 9, 2010 09:32 pm at 9:32 pm |

Keith in Austin

Greene will be yesterdays news after the November general election against the GOP candidate!

July 9, 2010 10:12 pm at 10:12 pm |

Annie, Atlanta

Hey, good people of SC, give Greene a try. He certainly can't be worse than DeMint. I don't think anyone can.

July 9, 2010 10:19 pm at 10:19 pm |

vwrtb

More good paying jobs please...

July 9, 2010 10:20 pm at 10:20 pm |

Jesus Cristo

Good for him...

July 9, 2010 10:28 pm at 10:28 pm |

BJ

The Republicans are behind this. I don't want to hear anything about a Southern Judge, they do not uphold the law, they are major donors to the Oil Company (CNN does not really deal with that one with any real depth – you have to go to Rachel for that) and they are just dishonest.

July 9, 2010 10:28 pm at 10:28 pm |

Michael

So only the wealthy upper class should be allowed to run for public office?
Yes, sounds like SC all right...hasn't changed since 1862.

July 9, 2010 11:03 pm at 11:03 pm |

snow

Hey demorats, here's your sign, I'm sorry, here's your candidate.

July 9, 2010 11:08 pm at 11:08 pm |

Remember the Alamo

I'd like to ask all you African Americans? why you hate Palin so\? What has she ever done to you. She certainly has never done what your heroes have done. Like Rev King and his mistress. Rev Jackson and is illicit affairs. I can name so many worngs and none of them make a right. So get the hell off that woman she has done no wrong. And why do you have to have a seperate identification. Why can you not simply be call American. White or Black. Why are you so ashamed of being just a plain old American. Either you are or your not. If not then get the hell out and take the illegals with you. I'll ask the government the same why does every one have to be broken down into etnic groups why can't we be plain old Americans or other then a blank for what foreign country you're from. SIMLIFY THIS MATTER NOW. I am so tired of ignorance. i=Is that why you have to have these classifications to decide who has brains and whop does not..

July 9, 2010 11:15 pm at 11:15 pm |

normajean

I predicted when this story first came out that the truth would be swept under the rug and I sure was right. The entire story made NO SENSE and was probably a lie from beginning to end. If it were a movie it wouldn't make a dime. The law in South Carolina must be as unbelievable as so many of their political figures who are forever filling the newspapers with their questionable activities. Is there nothing in that state that is straight forward and above reproach? One thing for sure, I'd sure keep an eye on this guy.

July 9, 2010 11:21 pm at 11:21 pm |

Steve Fielder

Greene's "personal funds"?! How does an unemployed guy out of work nine months have over Ten Thousand dollars laying around! Where did he get that amount of cash?!

July 10, 2010 12:05 am at 12:05 am |

scott

this is like the oj simpson trial just bcause u dont have evidence doesnt mean u r innocent

July 10, 2010 12:32 am at 12:32 am |

Nathaniel

The SC Democratic Party should withhold certifying his election unless and until he can PROVE that the money came from him and him alone. Enough evidence exists to suggest that he is indigent . If he needed a public defender then he could not have had the money. Either way, the Party has the right to reject an election candidate if it believes the candidate cannot properly represent the party. Certainly statistically there is enough evidence to suggest tampering or misreporting of election data to deny ANY candidate the nomination via election. So certainly the Party rules allow it to select a candidate via committee when the election is believed to be fraudulent to the point of not being trusted by the voters.

SC Democrats... where is your backbone? Reject this clearly unstable man-child and pick a candidate or nominate no-one... but don't leave that man on the ballot under the Democratic name.

July 10, 2010 12:47 am at 12:47 am |

JR

This man doesn't really talk, and we have almost half of our US Senators who say "NO" to everything.
How could some people say that Mr. Alvin Greene is not qualified to be in such very estrange Senate? Especially if he can say something other than "NO".

July 10, 2010 01:14 am at 1:14 am |

Ken in NC

It would really be funny to see Jim DeMint get his butt kicked by this dude. That would say a lot about South Carolina Republicans. LOL

July 10, 2010 01:32 am at 1:32 am |

Blake

WTF? You get INVESTIGATED now for spending your own money on an election? It costs $10,440.00 to RUN for a political office? How are everyday people supposed to run for office if it costs $10.000 plus dollars just to put your hat in the ring? What happened to our democracy? I can't believe it costs 10 grand to run for office. Maybe the SLED freaks apparently think a young black man does not have 10 grand in his bank account. BUT WHY would they have ANY right to ask him where the money came from? Does every candidate get this treatment? I am appalled that such things are going on right now. This is entirely ludicrous. 10 grand to simply run....then if they think you don't have it get investigated. I hope GREENE wins and sticks them all in the eye. In fact, I think maybe I'll send him some money and I don't even live in his state.

July 10, 2010 01:48 am at 1:48 am |

paul

go greene!

July 10, 2010 02:10 am at 2:10 am |

Ed

I know who is winning South Carolina's election, and it sure isn't Alvin Greene!